Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to convert EU Regulation 425/2016 into UK law; and, if so, whether they expect UK notified bodies to be able to award the CE marking to personal protective equipment after the UK exits the European Union.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
Until we have left the EU, the UK will remain a member of the EU with all the rights and obligations that membership entails. EU Regulation 425/2016 is directly applicable in the United Kingdom and will enter into force on 21 April 2018. The Government is preparing draft legislation to provide for enforcement of the Regulation.
The Government has announced its intention to agree a deep and special partnership between the UK and the EU. As part of the negotiations, the Government will want to ensure that UK businesses have greatest possible barrier-free access to EU markets. It would not be appropriate to pre-judge the outcome of the negotiations.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to convert EU Regulation 426/2016 into UK law; and, if so, which UK body will assume the role of the European Commission for investigating whether notified bodies have fulfilled the requirements under the Regulation for appliances burning gaseous fuels.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
Until we have left the EU, the UK will remain a member of the EU with all the rights and obligations that membership entails. EU Regulation 426/2016 is directly applicable in the United Kingdom and will enter into force on 21 April 2018. The Government is preparing draft legislation to provide for enforcement of the Regulation, and the European Commission will continue to fulfil its role with regard to notified bodies until we leave the European Union.
The Repeal Bill will convert directly-applicable EU law into UK law, and provide a power to correct parts of the law that no longer work. The Government is currently considering how to ensure functions currently carried out by the European Commission with regard to UK notified bodies, continue in an appropriate way.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the training and qualification of installers of smart meters, and (2) the sufficiency and independence of the system of oversight, in the light of the need to ensure consumer safety.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Baroness.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in relation to their target for the installation of smart meters, whether they will report on the quality of the training and certification of installers of those meters.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Baroness.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will review the smart meter programme to ensure that safety requirements are being met in relation to consumers.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Baroness.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the request in the letter of 22 March from Citizens Advice, MoneySavingExpert.com and Which to the Prime Minister, whether they will establish a high-level working group to focus on securing the best possible deal for UK consumers as the UK exits the EU.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
We plan to follow up the roundtable hosted at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 19 December 2016 that involved representatives from a range of consumer bodies, charities and academics. This will provide an opportunity to discuss the best way to maintain close contact with consumer groups in the future.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to publish the green paper on consumers and markets, as announced in the Budget.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
The Autumn Statement stated that the green paper will be published in the spring and we are working to that timescale.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to transposing current EU consumer protection legislation into UK law, when the UK exits the EU.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
Through the Great Repeal Bill the Government's general approach is that the same rules and laws will apply on the day after exit as they did before, until Parliament decides otherwise after proper parliamentary scrutiny.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what work they are undertaking to ensure that UK consumers retain the consumer protections they are afforded as EU citizens, when the UK exits the EU.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
Through the Great Repeal Bill the Government's general approach is that the same rules and laws will apply on the day after exit as they did before, until Parliament decides otherwise after proper parliamentary scrutiny.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to retaining the Low Voltage Directive (2014/35/EU) and the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994, when the UK exits the EU.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
Through the Great Repeal Bill the Government's general approach is that the same rules and laws will apply on the day after exit as they did before, until Parliament decides otherwise after proper parliamentary scrutiny.